Push-button switch.



Patented Sept 6, 1910.

0. D. PLATT.

PUSH BUTTON SWITCH.

APPLIOATION IILED JUNE 14, 1909 ATTORNEY WITNESSES:

CLARENCE I). PLATT, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

PUSH-BUTTON SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 14, 1909.

Patented Sept. 6, 1910. Serial No. 501,976.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE D. Pnvr'r, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bridgeport, county of Fairfield, State of Connecticut, haveinvented an Improvement in Push Button Switches, of which the followingis aspecification.

This invention relates to push button switches and has for its object toproduce an efficient and durable mechanism having a relatively smallnumber of parts, all of which are extremely simple and easy to make asmany of the operations usually required in the manufacture of this classof switches are avoided and the mechanism as a whole being easy toassemble, thereby greatly reducing the cost of production.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part ofthis specification, Figure1 is a longitudinal section of the base and yoke, showing the switchmechanism in elevation; Fig. 2 a horizontal section on the line 2-2 inFig. 1, the switch mechanism being in plan; Fig. 3 an elevation of theswitch mechanism detached, the blade carrier-being in the reverseposition, the slotted retaining washer removed and the rocker arm andlatch being shown in full lines in their position an instant before therelease of the blade carrier and in dotted lines in their position afterthe release of the blade carrier; Fig. 4 a similar view showing the position of the blade carrier after the actuating movement, the slottedwasher and the spring being removed; Fig. 5 a section on the line 55 inFig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 6 an elevation ofthe rocker arm and spring detached; Fig. 7 a section on the line 77 inFig. (S looking in the direction of the arrows; and Fig 8 is a sectionon the line 8-8 in Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

10 denotes the base which is provided with a recess 11 to receive theswitch mechanism, 12 the yoke which is secured to the base and serves asa guide for the push buttons 13. The terminals 14 are secured in thebase and are provided with binding screws 15 and with pairs of contactplates 16.

17 denotes an arched standard which is rigidly secured to the base and18 a sleeve which is rigidly secured to the standard and serves as abearing for a shaft 19.

2O denotes the blade carrier as a whole, which consists of a blade plate21, insulatengage the pairs of contact plates 16. Be

tween the blade carrier and the standard is a spacing washer 27.

28 denotes an arm which extends from the blade carrier at right anglesthereto and passes freely underthestandard. In the present instance thisarm is shown as made integral with plate 24.

29 denotes a latch which is pivoted to the standard as zit-30, isprovided with a downwardly extending lug 31 which is adapted to lie inthe path of movement of arm to lock said arm and the blade carrier ateither extreme of its movement, with a rearwardly extending lug 32, witha forwardly extending lug 33 and with an opening ill which receivessleeve 18 loosely. in the present instance I have shown the sleeve asprovided with a collar 35 which bears against the standard and insuresperfect rigidity of the sleeve, opening 3&- being large enough toreceive this collar loosely.

36 denotes the rocker arm which is rigidly secured to a collar 37mounted to oscillate on sleeve 18. The shanks 38 of the push buttons arepivoted to the ends respectively of the rocker arm.

39 denotes a coil spring carried by collar 37 and having an outwardlyextendiugrnd 40 which is engaged by the right side of an arm 41 whichextends forward from the center of the rocker arm and by the right sideof arm 28 which extends from the blade carrier, and an outwardlyextending end 30 which is engaged by the left side of arm 41 and by theleft side of arm 28. The upper side of the rocker arm is provided withcam portions, indicated specifically by 4.), which engage forwardlyextending log 33 on the latch and act to lift the latch and release arm28 extending from the. blade carrier when the rocker arm is oscillated.as will be more fully explained. Collar :17 is retained in place uponthe shaft by a slotted washer 42 which engages slots 43 ment of theblade carrier in each direction.

46 denotes a spring which is coiled about spacing washer 27 and isprovided with an end a7 which engages rearwardly extending lug 32 on thelatch and with an end 48 which engages one of the stop lugs 45 on thestandard. The action of this spring is to press the latch downward theinstant pressure upon a push, button is relieved and move lug 31 intothe path of movement of arm 28, thus locking the blade carrier at eitherextreme of its movement.

The operation is as follows: The blades engage the pairs of contactplates 16 in the usual manner. When the blades are in engagement withthe contact plates the circuit is'closed, and when out of engagement thecircuit is open. Suppose, for example, that in the. position of theparts shown in Figs. land 4 the circuit is open, and in the positionshown in Fig. 3 the circuit is closed but is just about to be opened.Starting with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1, to close thecircuit the right push button is pushed inward, which swings the rockerarm toward the reverse .of the position shown inFig. 1. During the firstportion of the movement, arm 41 carries end 10 of spring 39 toward. theright, which winds the spring. An instant later the left cam portion 49of the rocker arm will engage lug 33 upon the latch and will lift thelatch raising lug 31 and releasing arm 28 extending from the bladecarrier. The instant this release is effected, arm 50 of spring 3.-through its engagement with arm 28 of the blade carrier will act tothrow the blade carrier andblades from the position shown in Fig. '1 tothe position shown in Fig. 3 with a snap. The rightpush button, as seenin Fig. 1, will now be in the depressed position and the left pushbutton in the raised position, the blade carrier will be in the positionshown in Fig. 3 and the rocker arm will lie parallel therewith. circuit,the left push button (which is now in the raised position) is presseddownward. This swings the rocker arm from the position parallel with theblade carrier in Fig. 3 toward the position shown in full lines in saidfigure and arm 41 of the rocker arm carries end 50 of spring 39 to theposition shown in Fig. 3, which winds the spring. When the rocker arm isin the full line position in Fig. 3, further downward movement of theleft push button causes the right cam standard limiting the movement ofthe blade To open the engagement with lug 33 on the latch to raise thelatch to the dotted position in Fig. 3, which causes lug'31 on the latchto release arm 28 of the blade carrier. The instant this release iseffected, end 40 of spring 39 through its engagement with arm 28 willswin said-arm and the blade carrier to the position shown in Fig. 1,thus opening the circuit with a snap, stop lugs 45 upon the carrier ineach direction.

Having thus described my invention 1 claim:

' 1. A switch of the character described comprising a shaft, anoscillating blade carrier mounted on said shaft, a spring for throwingthe blade carrier to either extreme of its movement, a pivotally mountedlatch provided with a single projection for locking the blade carrier ineither extreme of its movement, said latch being provided with anopening for the passage of said shaft, and means for reciprocating saidlatch.

2. A switch of the character described comprising a shaft, anoscillating blade carrier mounted on said shaft, a spring for throwingthe blade carrier to either extreme of its movement, a pivotally mountedlatch provided with a single projection 'for lockmg the blade carrier ineither extreme of itsv movement, said latch being provided with anopening for the passage of said shaft, a spring for retaining said latchin operative position, and means for moving said latch against thetension of said spring.

3. A switch of the character described comprising a shaft, anoscillating blade carrier mounted on said shaft, a spring for throwingthe blade carrier to either extreme of its movement, a pivotally mountedre-. ciprocable latch provided with a single pro-' jecti on for lockingthe blade carrier in either extreme of its movement, said latch beingprovided with a lug, a spring for retaining said latch in operativeposition, and a rocker arm adapted to engage said lug to move said latchagainst the tension of said spring.

4-. A switch of the character described comprising an oscillating bladecarrier having an arm extending therefrom, an oscillating rocker armhaving an arm extending therefrom, a spring having ends bearing upon theopposite sides of said arms, for the purpose set forth, and. a pivotallymounted reciprocable latch having a lug engaged by therocker arm and asingle projection extending into the path of movement of the bladecarrier arm to lock the blade carrier at either extreme of its movement,oseillation ofthe rocker arm acting to wind the spring and to lift thelatch which releases the blade carrier, the spring then throwing theblade carrier to the other extreme of its' movement.

5. A switch of the character-described comprising a' standard having asleeve extending therefrom, a shaft journaledin the sleeve and carryingcontact ,blades' and a forwardly extending arm, a rocker arm mounted tooscillate on said sleeve and having a forwardly extending arm, a springhaving ends engaging the opposite sides of 'said arms and apivotallymounted reciprocable latch having a single projection engagedby the rocker arm and a lug normally lying-in the path of movement ofthe arm.

carried by theshaft, oscillation of the rocker arm acting to raise thelatch,.and the spring acting to throw the contact blades to'the otherextreme oftheir movement.

6. A switch of the character described comprising a standard having asleeve extending. therefrom and also provided with stop lugs, a shaftjournaled in the sleeve and carrying contact blades and an arm adaptedto engage the stop lugs, a rocker arm mounted to oscillate on saidsleeve and having a forwardly extending arm, a spring having endsengaging the opposite sides of said arm, and a pivotally supported latchprovided with an opening for the passage of said sleeve, said latchbeing operated bysaid rocker arm and provided with a single projectionwhich normally locks the contact plates at either extreme of theirmovement.

7. A switch of the character described comprising an oscillating bladecarrier having a forwardly extending arm, an oscillating rocker armhaving a forwardly extending arm, a spring having ends engaging theopposite sides of said arms, movement, of the rocker arm acting toincreasethe tension on the spring, and a pivotally mounted reciprocablelatch havin one end provided with a projection lying in the path ofmove- .ment of the blade carrier arm, the other end being arranged tointercept the movement of said rocker arm, the spring acting to throwthe blade carrier to the opposite extreme of its movement when the bladecarrier arm is released.

8. A switch of the character described comprising a standard having asleeveextending therefrom, a shaft journaled in the sleeve and carryingcontact blades and a forwardly extending arm, a rocker arm having asleeve mounted to oscillate on the standard sleeve and a forwardlyextending'arm, a spring coiled on the rocker arm sleeve and having endsengaging the opposite sides of the arms and a pivotally mountedreciprocable latch adapted to be raised by the rocker arm and having asingle projection arranged to be engaged by the arm upon the shaft tolock the blade carrier at either extreme of its movement.

9. In a switch the combination with a rocker arm, and a sprim forthrowing said arm to either extreme of its moven'ient, of a pivotallymounted latch having one end provided with an overhanging lug arrangedto intercept the path of movement of said rocker arm whereby said latchmay be moved by said rocker arm, the other end thereof being providedwith a single locking projection, and a spring for retaining said latchin operative position. I a

10. A switch of the character described comprising a shaft, a bladecarrier thereon, a spring for oscillating said blade carrier, :1.pivotally mounted reciprocable latch, for locking the blade carrier ineither extreme of its movement, a spring for normally holding said latchin the locking position, and means for raising the latch against thetension of said spring, the movement of said latch being limited by saidshaft. 11. A switch of the character describe comprising a shaft, :1blade carrier thereon,

